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Francis Molo
Francis Molo
Francis Molo
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Francis Molo (born 3 September 1994) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Dolphins in the National Rugby League (NRL). He previously played for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, as well as the Queensland Maroons.

Key Information

At international level, Molo has played for both the Cook Islands and Samoa.

Background

[edit]

Molo was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and moved to Australia, Brisbane when he was 10 months old.[citation needed] He is of Samoan and Cook Island descent. He is the older brother of Michael Molo and cousins with Anthony Milford.

Molo played junior football for the Aspley Devils and attended Wavell State High School, before being signed by the Brisbane Broncos.[2]

Playing career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

In 2010, Molo played for the Norths Devils' Cyril Connell Cup side and played for the Queensland under-16s team. In 2011, he moved up to the Devils' Mal Meninga Cup side and was selected to play for the Queensland under-18s team.

From 2012 to 2014, Molo played for the Brisbane Broncos' NYC team.[3][4]

In 2012, he once again represented the Queensland under-18s team. On 20 April 2013, he played for the Queensland under-20s team against the New South Wales under-20s team.[5]

Brisbane Broncos (2014-15)

[edit]

In Round 11 of the 2014 NRL season, Molo made his NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos against the Wests Tigers.[6][7] In May, he again played for the Queensland under-20s team against the New South Wales under-20s team.[8]

On 20 June, while playing for the Broncos' feeder club, the Norths Devils against the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Intrust Super Cup, Molo was involved in a tackle on opposition player James Ackerman, which resulted in the death of Ackerman on 22 June 2015.[9] He received an eight-week suspension for the tackle by the QRL judiciary. On 17 September, Molo played for the Cook Islands against Tonga for the World Cup qualifier.[10][11][12]

Molo in 2013

2016

[edit]

On 8 May 2016, Molo started at prop in the Cook Islands 30–20 win over Lebanon.[13]

In July, while playing for the Devils, Molo received a three-game suspension for a shoulder charge against the Sunshine Coast Falcons. A brawl broke out following the tackle, with Sunshine Coast players reportedly calling Molo a "killer". Two Sunshine Coast players were also suspended, for attacking Molo. It came after being suspended three weeks earlier for a similar incident.[14]

North Queensland Cowboys (2018-2021)

[edit]

On 20 July 2017, Molo was released from his contract with the Brisbane club and joined the Townsville Blackhawks mid-season.[15] On 24 October, Molo signed a one-year deal with the North Queensland Cowboys after training with their first grade squad while playing for the Blackhawks.[16] In Round 11 of the 2018 NRL season, Molo made his debut for North Queensland in their 20–19 loss to South Sydney. It was his first NRL game in almost three years. On 28 June, he re-signed with the North Queensland club for two more seasons.[17]Molo played the majority of the 2018 season with the Townsville Blackhawks, registering seven NRL games in his first season with North Queensland.

Molo enjoyed a breakout season in 2019, coming off the bench in all 24 of the Cowboys' games.[18] In Round 13, he scored his first NRL try in North Queensland's 20–22 loss to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[19] On 18 September, he won the Cowboys' 2019 Coach's Award at the club's presentation night.[20] On 2 October, Molo was nominated for Dally M Interchange Player of the Year at the 2019 Dally M Awards.[21]

On 31 July 2020, Molo re-signed with the North Queensland Cowboys until the end of the 2021 season.[22] In Round 4, he started for the first time at prop in a 16–26 loss to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.[23] In Round 13, he played his 50th NRL game in a 10–30 loss to the Gold Coast Titans.[citation needed] For the second consecutive season, he played every game for North Queensland, starting eleven of them and scoring three tries.

St. George Illawarra Dragons (2022-2024)

[edit]

On 16 March 2021, Molo signed with the St. George Illawarra Dragons on a three-year deal commencing from the 2022 NRL season.[24] During the annual Anzac Day Cup between the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters on 25 April 2022, Molo scored his first try for the Red V in the 11th Minute with the Saints winning 14-12 for the first time since 2018.[25] Molo played a total of twenty-one games for the club in the 2022 NRL season which saw them finish 10th on the table and miss the finals.[26]

On 23 February 2023, Molo pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge. He did not appear in Port Kembla court on 22 February where he pleaded guilty to one count of stalk/intimidate with intent to cause fear of physical harm. St. George Illawarra released a statement claiming the plea related to an incident at Molo's home on 17 December 2022.[27] Molo played a total of eighteen games for St. George Illawarra in the 2023 NRL season as they finished 16th on the table.[28]

In the 2024 NRL season, Molo played twenty-three games for St. George Illawarra as the club finished 11th on the table.[29]

Dolphins (2025-present)

[edit]
Molo (centre) with other Dolphins players in 2026

On 22 January 2025, it was announced that Molo had been granted mental health leave from the Dragons.[30] Molo had not returned to training as it had been divulged that he had a disagreement with a member of the Dragons coaching staff.[31] On 18 March, the Dragons and Molo had officially parted ways with the club releasing him from the remainder of his contract.[32][33] Molo later signed a deal to join on with the Dolphins. The Dragons would not officially release Molo until he had paid the club back a settlement for leaving in the middle of his contract.[34][35] On 27 March, the Dolphins officially announced that they had signed Molo for the rest of 2025 and the 2026 season.[36]

Achievements and accolades

[edit]

Individual

[edit]

Statistics

[edit]

NRL

[edit]
[1]
Season Team Matches T Kills F/G Pts
2014 Brisbane Broncos 1 0 0
2015 5 0 1 0
2018 North Queensland Cowboys 7 0 0
2019 24 2 8
2020 20 3 12
2021 19 1 4
2022 St. George Illawarra Dragons 21 1 4
2023 18 2 8
2024 23 1 4
2025 Dolphins 16 1 4
2026
Career totals 154 11 — — 44

Representative

[edit]
Season Team Matches T G GK % F/G Pts
2015 Cook Islands Cook Islands 1 0 0 — 0 0
2016 1 0 0 — 0 0
2021 Queensland Maroons 2
2022 Samoa 1
2025 1
Career totals 6 0 0 — 0 0

[37]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Francis Molo

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Francis Molo (born 3 September 1994) is a New Zealand-born professional footballer who plays as a for the Dolphins in the (NRL). Standing at 183 cm and weighing 112 kg, he made his NRL debut with the in 2014 and has since accumulated 154 first-grade appearances across four clubs, scoring 11 tries. Molo's early career began in the Queensland Cup with the Norths Devils, where he debuted in the NRL for the Broncos against the on 24 May 2014. After limited opportunities in , he moved to the in 2018, becoming a regular starter and contributing to their 2019 preliminary final campaign. While with the Cowboys, he earned selection for the Queensland Maroons in the , playing two matches. He joined the in 2022. Internationally, Molo initially represented the in 2015 and 2016 before switching allegiance to Toa Samoa, debuting against the on 25 June 2022 and accumulating eight Test matches by 2025. In March 2025, Molo secured an early release from the Dragons amid a coaching dispute and signed with the Dolphins through the end of 2026, citing a desire to reunite with head coach and prioritize family and a supportive environment over financial gain. During his debut season with the Dolphins in 2025, he featured in 16 games, scoring one try, making 364 tackles at a 94.6% rate, and averaging 120 running metres per match. Molo's career has also been marked by significant off-field incidents. In June 2015, while playing for the Norths Devils in a match, Molo executed a shoulder charge tackle on player James Ackerman, causing Ackerman to fall and strike his head on a metal barrier, leading to fatal brain injuries; Molo was suspended for eight weeks by the Queensland ; in September 2025, Molo reached a settlement with Ackerman's family following a civil . In February 2023, he pleaded guilty in Port Kembla Local Court to a charge of or with intent to cause fear of physical harm in a domestic violence-related incident from December 2022, receiving an 18-month conditional release order without conviction and a two-match suspension from the NRL Integrity Unit.

Background

Early life

Francis Molo was born on 3 September 1994 in , . He holds Samoan and heritage through his family. When Molo was just 10 months old, his family moved to Brisbane, , where he spent his formative years. Molo's early interest in rugby league was shaped by his family's deep connections to the sport, including his younger brother and cousin , both professional players. His brother Michael has reflected that playing alongside Francis fulfilled a shared childhood dream dating back to when they first began playing the game together.

Junior and youth career

Francis Molo began his organised career playing for the Aspley Devils junior club in . He progressed to junior representative football with the Norths Devils, the feeder club for the at the time. Molo earned selection for 's youth state teams, representing the U16s and U18s squads during his early teenage years. In 2014, he was named in the Maroons U20s team for the annual curtain-raiser match against . Following his youth representative successes, Molo was signed into the ' development system, where he competed in the National Youth Competition (NYC) from 2012 to 2014. Over this period, he appeared in 46 matches for the Broncos' NYC side, scoring 19 tries and contributing 76 points. These performances in the under-20s competition highlighted his potential as a powerful , paving the way for his transition to senior professional ranks.

Club career

Brisbane Broncos

Francis Molo made his NRL debut for the in Round 11 of the 2014 season against the on 24 May 2014, coming off the bench in a 22-16 victory. Over the course of his time with the from 2014 to 2015, Molo appeared in a total of six first-grade matches, all as a substitute , but failed to score any tries. His limited opportunities in the NRL were largely due to intense competition in the forward pack, which featured established players like Josh McGuire and . In addition to his sparse NRL exposure, Molo gained valuable experience in the Queensland Cup, playing for the Broncos' feeder club, the Norths Devils. He made his debut for the Devils in Round 1 of the 2014 Intrust Super Cup against the on 1 March 2014, contributing to his development as a powerful front-rower through consistent reserve-grade appearances. These outings helped hone his skills amid the challenges of breaking into the top squad, following his progression through the Broncos' youth system. At the conclusion of the 2015 season, Molo was not retained by the Broncos and departed the club, transitioning to further development opportunities outside the organization.

North Queensland Cowboys

Francis Molo signed with the in June 2017 on an initial one-year deal following a strong performance in the with the Blackhawks. He made his NRL debut for the club in Round 11 of the 2018 season against the , marking his first first-grade appearance in nearly three years after limited opportunities at the . During his time with the Cowboys from 2018 to 2021, Molo played 70 NRL games and scored 6 tries, establishing himself as a reliable in pack. In the early part of his tenure, he spent significant time in the reserves with the Blackhawks in the , appearing in the majority of their 2018 matches while featuring in just seven NRL games for that year. Molo's 2019 season represented a breakout year, where he appeared in all 24 games for , a marked increase from his previous 13 NRL matches across his career. His consistent strong performances as a hard-running forward earned him the Cowboys Coach's Award from head coach Paul Green and a nomination as a finalist for the Dally M Interchange Player of the Year. The 2020 season, shortened and disrupted by the , saw Molo continue to make solid contributions despite the challenges, including a league-wide hiatus that prompted personal reflection on his career. He featured prominently in the ' reduced fixture list, maintaining his role as an impactful bench forward. Molo departed at the end of the 2021 season, alongside forwards and Shane Wright, after signing a three-year contract with the earlier that year.

St. George Illawarra Dragons

Francis Molo joined the St. George Illawarra Dragons on a three-year contract ahead of the 2022 NRL season, signing from the North Queensland Cowboys in March 2021. During his tenure with the Dragons from 2022 to 2024, Molo established himself as a consistent presence in the forward pack, appearing in 62 NRL games and scoring 4 tries. In his debut season of 2022, he played 21 games, including a standout performance in the Anzac Day clash against the Sydney Roosters, where he scored his first try for the club in a narrow 14-12 upset victory. Molo featured in 18 games the following year, crossing for 2 tries, before logging another 23 appearances in 2024 with 1 try to his name. The 2024 season highlighted Molo's reliability amid team inconsistencies, as the Dragons finished 11th and missed ; he scored a try in a late-season win over the Gold Coast Titans but also faced a one-match suspension after a sin-binning for a earlier in the year against the Dolphins. In January 2025, Molo was granted an extended leave of absence by the Dragons on grounds following his absence from pre-season training. This led to ongoing discussions about his future, culminating in a mutual agreement for his immediate release in March 2025 after he agreed to a sizeable termination payment to exit the final year and a half of his contract. Prior to securing his next NRL opportunity, Molo briefly transitioned to the Rugby League's Hostplus Cup, making 3 appearances for the and scoring 1 try.

Dolphins

In March 2025, Francis Molo joined the Dolphins on a two-year contract covering the 2025 and 2026 NRL seasons, following his release from the . The decision was driven by family proximity to his roots and the chance to reunite with familiar , rather than financial incentives, as his salary remained comparable to his previous deal. During the 2025 season, Molo featured in 16 games for the Dolphins, scoring 1 try while contributing 9 tackle breaks, 709.8 post-contact metres, and 3 offloads. As a powerful , he bolstered the team's forward pack with his experience and physical presence under head coach , enhancing the unit's go-forward momentum. Molo's contract with the Dolphins extends through the end of the 2026 season, securing his position with the club as of November 2025.

Representative career

International career

Francis Molo debuted for the in the 2015 World Cup qualifier against on 17 October at Campbelltown Stadium, coming off the bench in a 28-8 loss. He earned his second cap the following year, starting at in the 8 May 2016 international against , where the secured a 30-20 victory. These two appearances marked his initial foray into senior , reflecting his Cook Islands heritage through family ties. In 2022, Molo exercised his eligibility to switch allegiance to Samoa, drawn by his Samoan ancestry and the opportunity to compete in higher-profile competitions, including the . His debut for the Toa Samoa came on 25 June 2022 against the , where he played 19 tackles in a dominant 58-6 win. Molo featured in the 2022 , appearing in three matches as Samoa made a historic run to the final: they defeated 20-18 in the quarter-final, beat 27-26 in the semi-final (), before falling to 34-12 in the final; across these games, he contributed solidly in the forward pack without scoring tries. Molo continued representing in subsequent years, playing both tests of the 2024 tour against , where the series ended in a 2-0 loss (34-18 and 34-16). In the 2025 Pacific Championships, he appeared in one match (vs ), bolstering the forward line amid 's campaign which included losses to (24-18 and 36-14 in the final) and a win over (34-6). Overall, Molo has played eight international tests—two for the Cook Islands and six for —scoring no tries.

State of Origin

Francis Molo was selected for the in the based on his strong form for the that season, where he demonstrated high tackle efficiency and impactful performances off the bench. He made his debut in Game II on 27 June 2021 at Optus Stadium in Perth, entering as a from the interchange bench in a match lost 26-0 to . Molo retained his spot for Game III on 14 July 2021 at Suncorp Stadium in , again playing as a and contributing to Queensland's 20-18 victory that prevented a series , though claimed the series 2-1 overall. These two appearances represent Molo's total games, with no further selections for the in subsequent series.

Honours and awards

Individual

In 2013, while playing in the National Youth Competition (NYC) for the ' U20s side, Molo was awarded Best Forward, recognizing his standout performances as a young prop. During his tenure with the , Molo received the club's Coach's Award in 2019, presented by head coach Paul Green for his consistent contributions off the bench, including playing in all 24 games that season and averaging 77 running metres per match. That same year, Molo was nominated as a finalist for the Dally M Interchange Player of the Year, acknowledging his impact as a substitute in the National Rugby League.

Team

Francis Molo contributed to the St. George Illawarra Dragons' victory in the 2022 Anzac Cup, the annual match against the Sydney Roosters held on Anzac Day. Playing as a prop in the Round 7 clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Molo scored one of the Dragons' two tries in the 11th minute, helping secure a narrow 14-12 upset win that ended a five-game losing streak against their rivals. This triumph marked the Dragons' first Anzac Day success since 2016 and highlighted Molo's impact in his debut season with the club after transferring from the North Queensland Cowboys.

Statistics

NRL

Francis Molo has appeared in 154 (NRL) matches throughout his career, scoring 11 tries and accumulating 44 points with no goals recorded. He has provided 10 try assists in total. Molo's club breakdown includes 6 games and 0 tries with the , 70 games and 6 tries with the , 62 games and 4 tries with the , and 16 games and 1 try with the Dolphins. The following table summarizes his season-by-season NRL appearances, tries, and goals:
SeasonClubGamesTriesGoals
2014100
2015500
2018700
20192420
20202030
20211910
20222110
20231820
20242310
2025Dolphins1610
In the 2019 season with the , Molo featured in 24 games, scoring 2 tries, making 365 tackles (averaging 15 per game), and recording 20 tackle breaks alongside 21 offloads, establishing himself as a key forward with high minute averages. In 2025 with the Dolphins, he played 16 games, scored 1 try, averaged 9.5 hit-ups per game, gained 709.8 post-contact metres, and completed 364 tackles.

Representative

Francis Molo has appeared in 10 representative matches throughout his career, scoring 0 tries. His international appearances total 8 games, comprising 2 for the in 2015 and 2016, and 6 for from 2022 onward. Molo also represented in 2 games during the 2021 series. In the , Molo came off the bench in Game 2, playing a half-hour spell either side of halftime in Queensland's 50-6 loss to at Suncorp Stadium. He again featured as a reserve in Game 3, contributing to Queensland's 20-18 victory at Accor Stadium that secured the shield. For , Molo's 6 games include his debut in a 2022 mid-season test against the , where he made 19 tackles with 90.48% efficiency and gained 149 running metres. He played two tests against during 's 2024 tour. In 2025, he featured in all three matches of the Pacific Championships, against (round 1), (round 2), and (final).
YearRepresentative TeamOpponent/SeriesGames PlayedTries
2015International Tests10
2016International Tests10
2021 (Games 2 & 3)20
2022Mid-season Test10
2024Tests vs 20
2025Pacific Championships30
TotalAllAll100

References

  1. https://www.nrl.com/players/internationals/samoa/francis-molo/
  2. https://www.dolphinsnrl.com.au/teams/nrl-premiership/dolphins/francis-molo/
  3. https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/francis-molo/summary.html
  4. https://www.espn.com/nrl/story/_/id/44321212/nrl-francis-molo-joins-dolphins-love-not-money-dragons-exit
  5. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-05/ackerman-inquest-hears-from-francis-molo-who-made-fatal-tackle/8679714
  6. https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/06/22/molo-fights-way-into-origin-after-traumatic-events/
  7. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nrl/article-15090697/Family-footy-star-James-Ackerman-settlement-death-tackle-shoulder-charge-Francis-Molo-Sunshine-Coast-Falcons-Brisbane-Broncos.html
  8. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-23/nrl-francis-molo-pleads-guilty-domestic-violence-charge/102013488
  9. https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/04/27/francis-molo-issued-breach-notice/
  10. https://www.itsrugby.fr/joueurs/francis-molo-27926.html
  11. https://thebench.com.au/code/nrl/players/dol/francis-molo
  12. https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/rlwc2021-the-strongest-possible-cook-islands-line-up-at-world-cup
  13. https://www.nrl.com/news/2015/10/14/support-for-molo-ahead-of-test-debut/
  14. https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/8226381/im-loving-it-molo-relishing-playing-alongside-big-bro-francis/
  15. https://www.dolphinsnrl.com.au/news/2025/03/27/molo-to-add-impact-to-dolphins-forward-pack-in-2025/
  16. https://www.nrl.com/news/2014/02/03/mvps-for-2014-martin-kennedy/
  17. https://www.codesports.com.au/stats/nrl/players/francis-molo-113145
  18. https://www.qrl.com.au/players/qrl-premiership/norths-devils/francis-molo/
  19. https://www.zerotackle.com/players/francis-molo/
  20. https://townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/francis-molo-signs-one-year-deal-with-cowboys/news-story/7422ba654cde79e818a9a77663d533bd
  21. https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2018/10/22/season-review-francis-molo/
  22. https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2019/10/21/2019-season-review-francis-molo/
  23. https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2019/09/18/molo-presented-with-coachs-award/
  24. https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/10/01/plenty-of-worthy-candidates-among-dally-m-contenders/
  25. https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/how-rugby-leagues-hiatus-gave-a-cowboys-star-a-profound-appreciation/news-story/79f2a514b134d2fa8f2fb20ab6a8c807
  26. https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2020/10/22/2020-highlights-francis-molo/
  27. https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2021/09/09/cowboys-to-farewell-five-departing-players/
  28. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/teams/dragons/nrl-2021-st-george-illawarra-sign-prop-francis-molo-from-cowboys-days-before-round-2-clash/news-story/7084dae975e6672c7c427dcfd3794f3b
  29. https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2021/03/16/molo-dragons-bound-in-2022/
  30. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/25/dragons-hold-on-to-stun-roosters-in-nrl-anzac-day-upset
  31. https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/08/18/francis-molo-try/
  32. https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news-2024-judiciary-charge-francis-molo-dragons-high-tackle-suspension-20240318-p5ja5v.html
  33. https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news-2024-francis-molo-st-george-illawarra-dragons-contract-future-release-request-mental-health-20250122-p5l6fu.html
  34. https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2025/03/27/dragons-grant-francis-molo-immediate-release/
  35. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-18/rugby-league-nrl-francis-molo-dragons-termination-fee/105068468
  36. https://www.qrl.com.au/players/qrl-premiership/central-queensland-capras/francis-molo/
  37. https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2015/10/20/highlights-tonga-v-cook-islands/
  38. https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/test-matches-2016/standalone/cook-islands-vs-lebanon.html
  39. https://www.nrl.com/draw/internationals/2022/round-1/samoa-v-cook-islands/
  40. https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/63535701
  41. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/nov/02/england-sweep-aside-samoa-to-clinch-series-clean-sweep
  42. https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/pacific-championships-final-2025-live-scores-jillaroos-nz-kiwi-ferns-toa-samoa-nz-kiwis-results-latest-news-20251109-p5n8ul.html
  43. https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2021/06/21/maroons-name-team-for-game-ii/
  44. https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/state-of-origin/state-of-origin-game-3-player-ratings-nsw-blues-queensland-maroons-20210714-p5itz6.html
  45. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-14/state-of-origin-game-iii-queensland-beats-new-south-wales/100293948
  46. https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2016/10/07/broncos-2016-award-winners/
  47. https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-premiership/2022/round-7/dragons-v-roosters/
  48. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-25/nrl-dragons-beat-roosters-in-anzac-day-match/101014632
  49. https://www.nrl.com/players/nrl-premiership/dolphins/francis-molo/
  50. https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/06/27/origin-ii-player-ratings-queensland-maroons/
  51. https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/francis-molo/games.html
  52. https://www.rugby-league.com/article/63185/samoa-announce-squad-for-the-historic-test-series-against-england
  53. https://www.nrl.com/draw/pacific-championships/2025/round-1/kiwis-v-toa-samoa/
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